Nightcrawler finds himself high in the air above Doom's castle, having teleported blind from a featureless room (last issue). Falling unconscious briefly, Nightcrawler awakes to find himself falling frighteningly fast. He skydives for an updraft and then teleports into the lake near Doom's castle - emerging alive but shivering. He reflects on the circumstances that brought him to this situation (last two issues).

Doom has not failed to notice Nightcrawler's escape, and he orders his men to recapture the X-Man. Doom is worried about the growing storm centered on his castle, although Arcade is unfazed. Doom's unease is echoed by NORAD.

Nightcrawler makes his re-entrance to the castle, disabling two guards. Elsewhere, Colossus has discovered that the lasers below are attuned to size and that chunks of Colossus' size are zapped, those of Peter Rasputin's size are left untouched. Taking a deep breath, he swims downwards, past the cannons, turning into Colossus only when he's safely past. He punches a hole in the wall.

In his giant birdcage Angel has figured out that the lasers which fire when he leaves the perch are actually patterned to create a maze. He flies this maze at high speed and escapes just as his cell detonates behind him - only to get a mouthful of water as Colossus's flood washes over him.

Wolverine, trapped in an anti-gravity chamber which is royally messing with his senses, tries to embrace the beast without letting it control him. He hacks into anything he hits, and eventually, the anti-gravity gives out, dropping him onto the floor. Wolvie carves his way out of the cell and notices the loud thunder shaking the very castle. Ororo must be in trouble, so he rushes up the stairs to confront Doom! Doom tells 'Ororo' (a robot) to deal with him, and Wolvie trashes the robot. Doom blasts Wolverine, but Nightcrawler's timely arrival is enough for the X-Men to turn the tables. Wolverine offers a deal - Doom's life for Storm's. Doom hands them a device that will restore Storm... and it does...

Storm has become one with the planet, with all its myriad of elemental forces at her command,[1] and though Doom uses the other X-Men's distraction to escape Wolverine's clutches, Storm easily overpowers him. Of course, Storm's not-so-tender ministrations aren't reserved solely for Doom, as Colossus finds out when he tries to reason with her. The castle is being torn apart by the storm outside, and Dr. Doom and the X-Men may well be torn apart by the Storm inside. Finally, Colossus says something that triggers Storm's psyche to re-assert itself, and she brings the storm back under control, although it costs her much.

Doom is strangely pleased that Ororo survives the ordeal. Storm again asks for Arcade's freedom, which Doom grants for an apology (rather grudgingly given) from Arcade. Doom also apologizes to Storm, and asks to begin anew (with Storm in particular - yes Doom is hitting on Storm), and Storm consents - a clean slate from that point.[2]

In the Caribbean, Lee and Scott awaken to discover a strange building has emerged from the ocean overnight on the island they're stranded on!

Notes

Kitty is not present for this mission because she is sick with the flu. See Uncanny X-Men #145.

This issue is reprinted in many other comics and books, see references for more info.[3]

Trivia

Continuity Error: Nightcrawler describes the season as 'middle of winter', yet Uncanny X-Men #143 happened on December 24, and 'many months' had passed according to Uncanny X-Men #144, making this timing impossible. Further, despite being high in the Appalachians in upstate New York, there is no snow to be seen anywhere! Finally, while the monstrous storm outside is Storm's doing, and she could plausibly make rain in mid-winter in one of the snowiest regions of the US, she isn't consciously controlling it and thus one would certainly expect it to be snow.

The Doctor Doom in this story is later confirmed to be a Doombot (see last issue's Trivia section).